This invention relates to a trolling plate assembly for small boats.
Small boats, powered either by an outboard motor or an inboard/outboard motor, are used for numerous recreational purposes. For some recreational purposes the boat is powered up to run at high speeds, such as for water skiing or cruising. For other recreational purposes, such as fishing, it is desirable to be able to run the boat at low (trolling) speeds. It is sometimes difficult or impossible to run boats at a desired trolling speed since such trolling speed may be below the motor's recommended minimum idling RPM. Because of this difficulty, trolling (deflector) plates have been devised for mounting on the anticavitation plate of the boat's motor. Such trolling plates extend down into a position behind the motor's propeller and slows the velocity of the boat while the propeller is operating at its idle RPM.
Trolling plates currently in use are required to be manually moved between a horizontal, non-trolling position and a substantially vertical, trolling position, since the trolling plate is typically locked in its trolling or non-trolling position. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,838. The unlocking of the trolling plate for movement to a new position is typically accomplished by use of lanyards attached to the locking mechanism of the trolling plate assembly. If the boater forgets to unlock the trolling plate while it is in the trolling position, and accelerates the boat to a higher speed, the trolling plate can be damaged or destroyed.
It is an object of this invention to provide a trolling plate assembly that allows the trolling plate to be deployed to a trolling position and retracted to a non-trolling position without the use of lanyards. It is another object of this invention to provide a trolling plate that automatically retracts to a non-trolling position from a trolling position upon acceleration of the boat to a higher speed.